Audio Endgame is an independent hi-fi publication covering the gear worth your money: headphones, DACs, amps, speakers, and the software that drives them. We test what we recommend, explain the why in plain language, and help you find your endgame setup without the marketing noise.
Can a 10 watt desktop amplifier drive the KEF LS50 Meta? I pulled my Naim Uniti Atom out of the rack, put a Chord Anni in its place, and listened. It works. Here is exactly what it costs you, and the two settings you have to get right.
Audyssey came free with your receiver. Dirac Live costs $259 to $349 on top. Here is what the money actually buys, which rooms need it, and when Audyssey XT32 is already enough.
The UMIK-2 costs 2.5 times more than the UMIK-1 and handles 8 dB less SPL. I measure with a UMIK-1. Here is what the extra $116 actually buys, and when it is genuinely worth it.
The Ultra costs $110 more and drops a feature the Pro Plus keeps. I own the Ultra. Here is the honest split between WiiM's $219 streamer and its $329 one, and which one belongs in your rack.
The Node costs $749, the Node Icon $1199, the WiiM Ultra $329. I own the Ultra. Here is what Bluesound's extra money actually buys, where the WiiM closes the gap, and who should still pay up.
Cambridge Audio's L/R X is a $2,399 active speaker with 800 watts, HDMI eARC and a phono stage, aimed squarely at KEF. Here are the specs, what early listeners heard, and where it actually sits.